The garden, a metaphor for life, is not a place for perfectionist as too much is out of our control.
The garden, a place we share with other living beings and unless we respect what they need, we will never get what we need.
The garden, where it’s not me & mine all the time.
The garden, a place where we realize we are simply a part of something greater. A place where we are here to experience, be a part of and add to, not dominate and rule.
Red Beard, Red Dog.
Padre catcher Derek Norris and Padre pitcher James Shields, a week and a half into the season The Padres are .600. Keep it up boys!
Sometimes it’s easy to feel less than. Sometimes I can get into a pity party. I can catch myself focusing on what’s wrong; my shoulder hurts, my knees grind, I’m stiff or the I’m getting old mantra. I can let these little maladies affect how I feel and sometimes keep me from going to the gym or getting to yoga.
When I’m good I realize it’s just a temporary ache and I get myself to the gym and I ultimately feel better. Yesterday was one of those days. I got there and I felt better.
My gym is World Gym San Diego. It’s a busy gym, a big gym. There are average joes like me and there are many personal trainers about and tons of competitive body builders. It is THE gym in San Diego for body builders, the ones who compete. So it’s quite an entertaining show every time I go. I don’t only think some of them live there, I know they must. They can give me inspiration, entertain my sick sense of humor and are eye candy as well.
The body builders are not what caught my attention yesterday. It was the two war veterans that I see often. They workout together. They are both about 30 years old, both are handsome and both have beards. One of them has both arms, an artificial leg and a brace on the other leg he still has. The other has one arm, period. Yes this means two artificial legs from above the knees and one artificial arm from above the elbow. These two tear it up. They use most of the equipment, workout regularly and do it themselves. It’s an amazing sight, an inspiration.
The “poor little me” that has a creaky knee and a sore shoulder has no leg to stand on, not even an artificial one. I am blessed. These two war vets are blessed as well. They are blessed with an attitude to get out there and live. They excercise with the champion competitors. They are in great physical shape. They are go getters. I am blessed to have a few aches and pains. I am blessed to be able to witness the strength these young men have to overcome what would keep many a man at home in a wheelchair. I am blessed with a gym that has diversity and acceptance of the little guy, the champion and the challenged all working together beside each other.
Yesterday I realized we all are champions for making the effort and working on ourselves.
Fearsome you ask? What does he do at the gym? He is comfortable just hanging out and inspiring others to just grow. I haven’t yet gotten him to do one single bench press (yet being the key word).
Driving Beard
Fearsome is wordless today. Quiet beard he is. Some days his contemplation is very quiet and he leaves me with no thoughts to express.
He loves Led Zeppelin and since our friends 2-Beards are Beard of the day I’ve decided to post a Led Zeppelin tune dedicated to them and their upcoming travels.
Fearsome Buds, 2-Beards, Brett & Luke recovering after a big night out in Manly NSW. Check out their upcoming travel adventure over on the 2-Beards link.
Beards love dogs, dogs love Beards.
So far this here blog thingy has not been very political. Fearsome, as well as myself, don’t want this here blog thingy to be a political soapbox. We prefer that we keep it a place for inspiration, contemplation, positive thought and growth. That’s our agenda, not political.
We have admitted a time or two that we are liberals. There is nothing wrong with being conservative, moderate or liberal. We believe as a community we all have the right to our political preferences and that differences debated in civil ways bring about balance. Balance leads to compromise. Compromise is what makes relationships work. Whether those relationships are between two people, a community or a country.
Yesterday Hillary made it official and announced her run for president. I’ll admit that I’ve been a Hillary fan since her husband become president in 1992. Those were my clean shaven days. Fearsome was still in the closet back then. I’m excited for her campaign and will be supporting her run. I have no plans to change this blog into a political campaign, that’s not what it is for. There might occaisionally leak in a thing or two as the blog is a place for my thoughts.
When I watched this video yesterday it made me feel good. I see a vision of inclusiveness. I see a vision of growth, support and community. I see a positive vision. I see what I percieve as an American Dream. I share the video because it made me feel good, my disclaimer is that I’m already a Hillary supporter.
Beard friends
The San Diego Padres are often out doing good things in our community. I remember years ago working in the infant intensive care units the players coming through visiting families in our care. The Padres sponsor little league ball parks and are seen at many charity events. They are often noted for gifts to the community.
It’s good for relations and frankly good press. The Padres are a huge corporation that deals in large sums of money so it’s kind of expected as well. Corporate charity is a good thing. Somehow they always seem to be deeper than just making the necessary gesture. Somehow they always seem to be giving from a deeper place, a place somewhere in the heart. That’s one of the reasons I gave into professional sports and became a fan.
Then I’m made aware of how true they are to giving, to caring for not only the community but people period. This is an old article from 2005, and they are still following through with it to this day in 2015. The article is a testament to true humanity. I reccomend the read and having a tissue handy.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/lachappa-98759-says-padres.html?page=1
Go Padres!
Sunlit beard.
My meditation today was the last one of the free 21 days offered by Oprah & Deepak Chopra. I enjoy these. It’s the third free series of theirs I’ve done. It gets me to actually stop and be still for 20 minutes. Each day has a different focus and mantra to comptemplate. This series was about success. Success of life as a whole, not in money or corporate ladders.
Today’s focus was about the unlimited potential of our lives and the universe. It reminded us to be open to all the potential life has to offer. Deepak guides you into each one through a short five minute talk which gets me focused and relaxed. Today he mentioned the limiting that lables do to us.
When we identify as one specific type, personality or thing we limit ourselves. If we remain open to all possibilities and don’t place ourselves in one specific category, then possibilities we never even dreamed of are there for us. I’m a Realtor but I’m so much more. I’m human, I’m alive, I’m a soul, I’m love, I’m light, I care, I give, I receive, I cry, I laugh, I’m a being that is made of the same atoms that make up stars. I can be anything and more if only I don’t limit myself to one thing.
….and so can you.
Natural full beard.
It’s opening day in San Diego and we are out the door in a few minutes. I’ll update as I can. To get us started there’s…
Padre Joe and the Foul Balls outside Petco Park
Outside Petco the Navy is getting ready for the game.
Jill, Gracie, Jay, The Better Half, Greg and Fearsome Himself before the game.
The National Anthem.
With an opening day sold out attendance of 45,150, the Padres unfortunately lose to the Giants in 12 innings. It was a great day and it’s baseball, we have another game tomorrow night. Fearsome will be there to watch the Padres win.
Beard in denim
What a joy life is.
I have been busy as crap….running here, going there, running behind, putting out fires, forgetting things, not getting it all done, trying to find balance, accomplishing things and not accomplishing things. It’s life. It’s a blessing. It’s fun!
So this morning I made it to physical therapy at 7:30 am for my knee issues (they are doing better) and as the therapist was massaging my IT bands, which hurt like hell, I started to laugh. I laughed because I didn’t get everything done yesterday and I was contemplating all I had to do today. I realized I wouldn’t get it all done again and filled with laughter and joy. Joy because I am able to try my best. I have the opportunity to get out there and just do it. I get to live.
I laughed because busy is good. Busy is life. Busy is a good life. I love my busy freakin’ life!
Beards enjoy many great outdoor activities.
Now a Padre, Catcher Derek Norris. The Padres open today at Los Angeles. Fearsome and I are happy it’s Baseball Season!
Baseball Season!
WOOHOO!!!
Fearsome Beard 